Nightclub shooter psyched up to Pantera, coach says

MARYSVILLE, Ohio (AP) -- A man who police say shot and killed a heavy metal guitarist and three others at a concert listened to the band member's music to psyche himself up before football games.
Nathan Gale also tried to talk music with people at a tattoo parlor in his hometown.
An imposing figure, Gale was on the offensive line for the Lima Thunder in northwest Ohio in a league that plays weekly in the summer, coach Mark Green said.
Police say Gale, 25, charged onstage at Alrosa Villa nightclub in Columbus and opened fire Wed-nesday as the band started to play.
Guitarist Darrell Abbott, who was killed, formerly was in the popular 1990s metal band Pantera. Gale listened to Pantera on his headphones before games during his one season with the Lima team, Green said.
"You wouldn't look at him and think he was capable of doing something like this," Green said. "It wasn't like he was a loner."
Green, who also owns a car lot, said he saw Gale two days ago when he made a payment for a car he bought from Green three weeks ago. Nothing seemed unusual, he said.
At the Bears Den Tattoo Studio in Marysville, Gale made people feel uncomfortable by staring at them and forcing them into a conversation, manager Lucas Bender said.
'Pointless conversations'
"He comes in here and likes to hang out when he's not wanted," Bender said. "The most pointless conversations."
Gale never mentioned Damageplan or Pantera, Bender said.
"I tried to stay busy and avoid him," he said.
A tattoo artist at the studio, Bo Toler, said Gale was at the studio Wednesday between 5 and 6 p.m. Gale asked about having the studio order tattoo equipment for him and Toler said he told him no.
Toler said Gale did not mention that he was going to the concert.